Prior to the acquisition, the company focused on video and compression technologies that allowed video, including live content, to be streamed to mobile devices. Nintendo had an existing partnership with Mobiclip to help with video rendering and playback in some of its handheld games on the GBA and Nintendo DS.

After the acquisition, Mobiclip posted a job opening for a “console software engineer” on its website. The company will reportedly bring its video technologies to the Wii U, Nintendo’s impending console successor to the Wii. Mobiclip’s involvement will likely be related to the controller, which acts more like a tablet than a traditional series of buttons and joysticks. However, Mobiclip’s past experience has dealt with many players in the smartphone world, so it also brings up the potential of Nintendo breaking into that market. Perhaps.

[via Gamautra]

Meanwhile Nintendo’s DS continues to sell, with more than 3.4m units being bought in the US in 2011. The total install-base for the Wii is now up to 39m, while more than 51m Nintendo DS handhelds are out in the wild.

The Nintendo 3DS’ path has not been a smooth one. The company reported dreary sales after a promising beginning, and was forced to dramatically slash the price of the 3DS to stimulate demand. That – along with an apologetic open letter from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata – did the trick, however, with sales leaping 260-percent in the US post-cut.

Subsequent updates added Hulu Plus streaming along with 3D video recording support, and most recently Nintendo is rumored to be preparing an ebook store that the 3DS and the upcoming Wii U will both be able to take advantage of.

Nintendo is now promising “a massive first- and third party lineup in the first part of [2012]” to follow Mario and Zelda, Super Mario 3D Land, and Mario Kart 7 each passing 1m US sales and breaking individual franchise records. More on the 3DS in the full SlashGear review.

It continues to sell well even thought Nintendo 3DS has been on the market for months now. The same numbers show that the 3DS sold 260,000 units in September. That means that since Nintendo got realistic on the price of the console and cut it down to size, the 3DS has sold 450,000 units in the US alone.

Other than the price cut, another thing that has driven sales of the console is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. That game has sold more than 500,000 copies so far. What the 3DS really needs is more appealing games to help drive sales. I bet that Mario Kart 3D will sell very well and help move some hardware at the same time.

[via Joystiq]

The discounting follows Nintendo’s earlier move to slash the price of the Wii, which was cut to $149.99. That was seen as a response to poor sales in 2010 and as a way of biding time between now and the arrival of the “Wii 2″ replacement in 2012.

Meanwhile, there’s also new packaging for six Mario titles, which Nintendo believes will help them stand out to fans of the plumber. New Super Mario Bros., Mario Kart DS, Super Mario 64 DS, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! and Mario Party DS will all go red in June.

Press Release:

Nintendo DS Lite Suggested Retail Price Drops to $99.99 and Mario Games Go Red

Mario-Red Boxes Will Help Shoppers Identify Select Fan-Favorite Mario Games

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The portable Nintendo DS™ Lite system is getting a new suggested retail price. Effective June 5, the system will be available at a suggested retail price of just $99.99 in the United States. The Nintendo DS family has become the best-selling video game system in history. More than 48.9 million systems in the Nintendo DS family have sold in the United States alone. Also in June, six Mario™ games for Nintendo DS will receive new red packaging, making it easier than ever for consumers to identify these hit titles in stores.

“From the moment it launched, Nintendo DS Lite hit a sweet spot for consumers in terms of value, experience and fun,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “This new price point will introduce Nintendo DS Lite to even more consumers, and the new red packaging will make it easy for them to find their favorite Mario titles.”

The six Mario games that will begin sporting the new Mario-red packaging in June are New Super Mario Bros.™, Mario Kart™ DS, Super Mario 64™ DS, Mario & Luigi™: Bowser’s Inside Story, Mario vs. Donkey Kong™: Mini-Land Mayhem! and Mario Party™ DS. These games represent some of the best-selling fan-favorite Nintendo DS games of all time, and demonstrate the well-known “evergreen” sales trend of Nintendo games. Their total U.S. sales through the end of April 2011 according to the NPD Group are as follows:

New Super Mario Bros.: more than 9.25 million units
Mario Kart DS: more than 7.40 million units
Super Mario 64 DS: more than 4.34 million units
Mario Party DS: more than 3.27 million units
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story: more than 1.98 million units
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!: more than 1.01 million units
Mario is one of the most beloved video game characters and the top video game franchise of all time. Thirty-one Mario games have topped sales of more than 1 million units since 1995, more than any other franchise. Through the end of March 2011, more than 262 million games in the core Super Mario™ series have sold worldwide.

For more information about Nintendo DS Lite, visit http://www.nintendo.com/ds.

Nonetheless, sales for hardware and software overall were down in comparison to the previous year, with net sales for the twelve month period up to 2012 being 1,014 billion yen, down 29.3-percent, and net income of 77.2 billion yen, down 66.1-percent year-on-year.

The Wii, which will be replaced next year, sold 15.08m units worldwide, while 171.26m Wii games were sold. An extra 24 titles joined the list of “million sellers” for Wii – taking the total to crack that figure to 103 – while two of the 3DS games also broke the 1m barrier.

Nintendo maintains production is unaffected by the Japanese earthquake, though warns that indirect impact is likely. The company expects to sell 16m 3DS handhelds this coming year, as well as launching the Nintendo e-Shop download store for the console.

The 3DS reportedly sold 400,000 units in the first week after its launch on March 27. That number comes directly from Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime. He said, “We are very satisfied with this start and we look forward to the momentum that we will build on Nintendo 3DS with the launch of the E-Shop, the launch of the 3-D trailers for Hollywood movies and the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in mid-June, as well as the launch of Netflix later on in the summer.”

The Nintendo exec also offers up some numbers on the other game systems it offers. The company moved 460K DS game consoles thanks to the new Pokemon games that sold 2.5 million copies combined. March also saw 290,000 Wii console sold adding up to 1.1 million game systems sold by Nintendo in March.

[via USA Today]

Having faced criticism in the past for their 2006 PlayStation 3 models for $499 and $599 and their 2009 PSP for $249, Sony is trying to play it safe with the NGP although no specific pricing details have been revealed yet.

“That’s something we spent a lot of time on this time around with NGP, to make sure that we don’t go off the deep end,” says Hirai.

However, keeping it affordable may also have been a factor in Sony’s decision to not incorporate 3D in the upcoming NGP scheduled for release before the end of this year. With Nintendo to release a new DS handheld in March that does incorporate 3D, it will be interesting to see how the competing devices will be received.

The company sold 1.5 million consoles over the week, and thankfully Nintendo was nice enough to break it down for us, in their press release. When it came to the Wii home video game console, consumers managed to pick up 600,000 of them. As for the DS line-up of portable gaming consoles, consumers managed to purchase 900,000 of those over the week. If you’re curious, that means that people were buying 9,000 Nintendo-branded video game consoles every hour, of every day, throughout the Black Friday week. You can check out the full press release below.

Press Release

CONSUMERS SNAP UP 1.5 MILLION NINTENDO VIDEO GAME SYSTEMS DURING BLACK FRIDAY WEEK

Value-Minded Shoppers Purchase 900,000 Nintendo DS and 600,000 Wii Systems

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 29, 2010 – When confronted with a wide range of Black Friday retail options, U.S. holiday shoppers again turned to Nintendo. Nintendo sold 900,000 combined units in the Nintendo DS™ family of systems and 600,000 Wii™ consoles between Sunday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 27, according to the company’s internal sales estimates.

“U.S. shoppers bought about 9,000 Nintendo hardware systems nonstop for every hour of every day during the week of Black Friday,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “For the past several years, consumers have decided that Nintendo defined both top value and all-inclusive entertainment, and that sentiment continues again at the start of this shopping season.”

Nintendo’s Black Friday surge was fueled by multiple new hardware colors, each of which comes bundled with games. The bundles provide a great value for shoppers who are looking to get the biggest bang for their video game bucks. These bundles, all of which are available while supplies last, include:

Limited-edition Mario red Wii hardware in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros.™ game on the NES™. It includes a new red Wii system, a red Wii Remote™ Plus controller, a red Nunchuk™ controller, and games New Super Mario Bros.™ Wii and Wii Sports™ at a suggested retail price of $199.99.

A limited-edition red Nintendo DSi XL™ bundle in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. game on the NES. It features a Mario red Nintendo DSi XL system with three iconic Super Mario Bros.-themed graphics, the Mario Kart™ DS game and preloaded software, including Brain Age™ Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Math and Photo Clock. It is available at a suggested retail price of $179.99.

Orange and green Nintendo DSi™ systems, which are bundled with the Mario Party™ DS game. They are available at a suggested retail price of $149.99.
In addition to the great hardware bundles, shoppers have dozens of great video game options for everyone on their shopping lists. Some exclusive games for the Wii console include Super Mario Galaxy™ 2, Metroid™: Other M, Wii Party™, Kirby’s Epic Yarn™, PokéPark™ Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure, FlingSmash™ (which comes bundled with the new Wii Remote Plus) and Donkey Kong Country™ Returns. Third-party Wii games include New Carnival Games® from 2K Play, NBA JAM from EA Sports, Just Dance® 2 from Ubisoft, Sonic Colors™ from SEGA, GoldenEye 007™ from Activision Publishing Inc. and Disney Epic Mickey from Disney Interactive Studios.

On the portable Nintendo DS family of systems, shoppers can choose games like DRAGON QUEST® IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies™, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future™, Pokémon Ranger™: Guardian Signs, Art Academy™, Mario vs. Donkey Kong™: Mini-Land Mayhem! and Golden Sun™: Dark Dawn. Some key third-party Nintendo DS games include Super Scribblenauts™ from WB Games, Rock Band® 3 from MTV Games, GoldenEye 007 from Activision Publishing Inc. and Sonic Colors from SEGA.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.5 billion video games and more than 577 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

As for the new colors, the current brown, white and red DSi LL units will be joined by new blue, yellow and green versions.  These will seemingly be priced the same as the existing handhelds.

The new pricing – and the new colors – will arrive in Japan on June 19th.  However there’s currently no word on whether international markets can expect similar price cuts.  The move is likely being made to combat recent drops in DSi sales, in advance of the 3D-capable Nintendo 3DS making its debut later this year.

[via Andriasang]

The Nintendo President took part in a Question & Answer session with investors recently, over there in Japan, and he managed to drop some very tasty tid-bits about the life of the upcoming 3D-based gaming handheld. Iwata noted that they did admit that the company will launch the handheld this term, but that the name of the device hasn’t been determined. He added that because it’s launching this year, that it won’t be long before we all do find out what it’ll be called, but that 3DS isn’t necessarily going to be the title. Of course, this could just mean that they haven’t officially said that 3DS is going to be the name, but that they’ve already decided it will be.

Also, he wanted to point out that development for 3D games won’t incur extra development costs just because they’re 3D games. In point of fact, he believes that the development for the games, especially the ones that already take place in a 3D plane within the game itself, will be relatively easy. He says that the development charges might go up strictly due to trial and error in the games themselves, as adding 3D graphics doesn’t automatically mean a game will be great. It will be up to Nintendo and developers to figure out ways to make the games interesting, worthwhile endeavors, and that’s probably where the extra costs will come from. Additionally, he noted that the 3DS will indeed have a 2D mode, designed for those with health concerns.

There’s no doubt that the Nintendo 3DS, or whatever it’s going to be called, will make an unveiling at E3 this year, where Nintendo will do it some major justice. The big questions still need to be answered: what’s it going to look like, and how many games will it launch with later this year? All in due time, we imagine. Is anyone out there looking forward to it?

[via 1up]

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has already said that the company intends to ”enhance the ability to combat piracy in Europe through both legal and technological means”, predominantly through developing consoles that won’t play pirated titles, but it seems they’ll also have to challenge attitudes toward game ownership.  ”Everybody is using [magicom],” one gamer is quoted as saying, “and I don’t feel like I am doing something particularly wrong.”

[via Kotaku]

In 2008, iPhone OS apparently comprised 1-percent of the video game market in the US, when judged by revenue; that rose to 5-percent in 2009.  It reflects a growing shift away from home console gaming to mobile gaming: console game software revenue fell eight points to 71-percent, while spending on portable games software rose four points to 24-percent.

As for the shift in portable games consoles, it was the PSP which saw the biggest decline in the same period.  iPhone OS-based game spending increased to take 19-percent of the US portable market, with the Nintendo DS dropping five points to 70-percent and the PSP almost halving to 11-percent.  Considering the relative prices of iPhone OS games compared to regular games, it’s an even more impressive shift.

[via iPhoneBuzz]

The console will apparently replace the current DS series, but be backward compatible with titles from earlier handhelds including the DSi.  No details into the 3D hardware have been given, but we’re guessing they’re looking at lenticular screen technology which uses tiny prisms to split the screen between your left and right eyes.  On full-sized TVs lenticular 3D has been criticised for having a limited number of “sweet spots” from which the effect can be viewed, an issue that shouldn’t be so restrictive on the 3DS.

It’s unclear why Nintendo are previewing the 3DS in this manner, ahead of E3 2010 which isn’t until June, and potentially undermining further sales of the DSi which the new handheld will replace.  Still, the news will likely give a small boost to the company’s share price, ahead of the end of this current financial year.

[via Twitter - Thanks carl91!]

Other hardware news is that the DS2 will have an integrated accelerometer, which RPad.TV aren’t too impressed by but which could indicate Nintendo are looking to leverage the larger panels and customer hunger for ebooks to better position the handheld as a portable reading platform (like a mini enTourage eDGe, though without the E Ink).  The dev kit, meanwhile, is believed to be as powerful as that of the GameCube, and developers are said to find it straightforward if they’re experienced in creating GameCube and/or Wii titles.

In fact developers who claim to have experience with the dev kit say it has very little learning curve.  Previous tips have suggested the next-gen Nintendo DS will use NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset.  As for those titles themselves, development is expected to be completed before the end of the year, and in fact the DS2 itself is tipped for a potential E3 2010 announcement and late 2010 release.  However, that could change if strong sales of the existing-gen DS variants continue.

[via Kotaku; image credit Phil Nolan]

Nintendo reckon this is a nifty workaround for handhelds that lack an analog joystick for more proportional control, as well as maintaining a more “realistic” in-game feel than joysticks manage.  The on-screen wheel could be pulled left and right, as is traditional, or it could be linked to other movements and gestures, such as dragging a stylus up or down the display.

There’s even talk of a new peripheral, a combination strap and thumb-stylus that the gamer could wear on their finger for closer, more precise control than the standard pen.  It all seems a little too “obvious” for a patent, at least to us, but then we’re not the USPTO.

[via GoRumors]

“I question whether those features would be enough to get people to buy new machines” Iwata suggested, when asked about a DS that brought the Wii’s motion-gaming technology to a mobile audience, and he was similarly dismissive of 3D gaming.  ”I have doubts whether people will be wearing glasses to play games at home. How is that going to look to other people?” he asked, before suggesting that more research was required into the longer-term health impacts of 3D gaming.

“[The new DS will have] highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing” Iwata is quoted as saying, though when asked about rumors of integrated cellular connectivity he said Nintendo are not considering such functionality.  Instead the company is looking at increasing the number of WiFi hotspots DS owners will be able to use.

[via Kotaku]

New figures have been released that show the Nintendo DS has sold a whopping 10 million units in the UK since the console debuted there in March of 2005. The console reached the milestone faster than the PS2 from Sony according to Nintendo.

Nintendo figures the sales numbers mean that 1-in-6 people in the UK have a DS console. The number may not be quite that high, I bet many are like my son and own more than one console. Still, Nintendo has sold a lot of DS consoles.

That’s thanks to the upcoming IMG SGX543, which is expected to drop as a four-core 45nm chip variant into the next-gen PSP: “a single core SGX543 should match and potentially exceed the performance of Tegra 2 clock-for-clock” says DigitalFoundry.  Considering the potential of the Tegra 2, that’s quite a performance hike.

Unfortunately, there are caveats all round; the OMAP5-based dual-core SGX543 isn’t expected until 2011, and IMG have been critisized for their driver support, meaning that while the raw power may be there it remains to be seen whether game developers will be able to take advantage of it.  Meanwhile NVIDIA are better at pushing out support, and the Tegra 2 is on course for a 2010 launch.  That means the next-gen Nintendo DS could be on the market next year, potentially with integrated 3G with no subscription.

[via Kotaku]

The force of it causes both handhelds to come apart, it seems, with the DS’ top panel completely detaching from the base while the PSP Go’s sliding screen achieves the sort of tilt that you’d usually have to look to an HTC Touch Pro2 to achieve.  Amusement’s accompanying feature was apparently about things that frustrate gamers – hence them throwing stuff very hard against their walls.

We’re trying to find some legitimate reason why you’d want to do more of this – crash testing for Wiimotes, perhaps? – but we’re falling short on excuses.  Looks like our partition walls are safe.

[via Kotaku]

The idea, says Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, was prompted by the Amazon Kindle, which offers 3G connectivity but doesn’t charge an ongoing fee to the owner; instead, the cost of the 3G would be integrated into the initial purchase price.  Gamers would be able to download new titles to their DS, even if they weren’t near a WiFi connection.

“I’m interested because it’s a new business model in which the user doesn’t bear the communications cost … Only people who can pay thousands of yen a month [in mobile phone subscriptions] can be iPhone customers. That doesn’t fit Nintendo customers because we make amusement products” Satoru Iwata, president, Nintendo

However Iwata also recognizes that if they were to incorporate the 3G price into the console “customers would complain about Nintendo putting prices up”; nonetheless it’s apparently a possibility they’re considering.  It seems likely that the integrated 3G would only be for game downloads, rather than online gaming, as the latter would use significantly more data.

[via I4U]

In fact the company only sold 5.75m Wii consoles, while handheld console sales also fell by 15-percent despite the launch of the DSi in Europe and the US.  Nintendo have tweaked their financial year-end predictions to more conservative figures, suggesting 1.5 trillion yen sales and an overall net profit of 230 billion yen come March 2010.

In doing so, the DS Lite’s D-pad and face buttons are turned into four convenient drum pads, which according to Band Hero DS executive producer David Nathanielsz makes for a more comfortable gaming experience.  “The have this really nice push-back, bounce-back feel to them,” he told gaming site Kotaku. “They fit your thumbs well. If you start banging on that d-pad [without it,] you’d get blisters and you won’t have that feel.”

Worth noting is that Band Hero DS is not compatible with the Nintendo DSi, and neither will the Drum Grip fit over the newer handheld.  No word on how much the game and controller-sleeve will cost when it arrives this fall.

[via Kotaku]

The game itself comes with two pedometers that automatically sync with your gaming system wirelessly. This way, the game can keep track of all the steps you take, no matter where you are. So really, you can play the game, even when you don’t have the game right in front of you. 

You can then view your steps in the form of various stats to see how your exercising efforts are going. You can track your pet’s steps, even, by hooking the pedometer to a collar. The game itself lets you “walk” through various towns, cities and even in space for added fun. You can get Personal Trainer: Walking on May 26th for $49.99.

Other playable tracks include Good Charlotte’s Boys and Girls and Pink’s So What.  LEGO Rock Band will be compatible with all the existing Rock Band instruments, plus other controllers, and have gameplay in a variety of real and fantasy stadiums and other locations. 

LEGO Rock Band is currently in development by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix, and will be published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.  No word on pricing or specific availability, beyond a holiday 2009 launch.

Press Release:

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, The LEGO Group, Harmonix and MTV Games Announce LEGO® Rock Band®

Rhythm Based Music Game Snaps Together Best-Selling Franchises to Create Fun Family-Friendly Experience for All Ages

BURBANK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games are joining forces with the LEGO Group, Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), to merge two of the most popular videogame franchises with the creation of LEGO® Rock Band®. The unique family-friendly music experience is currently in development by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix, and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game, which will allow families, tweens and teens to experience a wild journey to rock stardom where they can “Build a Band and Rock the Universe,” will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ home videogame console. LEGO Rock Band for Nintendo DS™ will be co-developed by TT Games and Harmonix in partnership with Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio. All versions are scheduled for release holiday 2009.

LEGO Rock Band combines the multiplayer music experience of Rock Band® with the fun, customization and humor of the LEGO videogame franchise packed with brilliant chart-topping songs and classic favorites suitable for younger audiences, including:

Blur: “Song 2”
Carl Douglas: “Kung Fu Fighting”
Europe: “The Final Countdown”
Good Charlotte: “Boys and Girls”
Pink: “So What”

Players will become rockers as they embark on a journey to stardom that the whole family can enjoy as they work their way through local venues, stadiums and fantasy locations on Earth and beyond that mimic the imaginative settings that the LEGO world offers. Also continuing the LEGO “build-and-play” gaming experience, players will be able to create their own LEGO Rock Band style as they customize their minifigure avatars, band and entourage, including roadies, managers and crew. LEGO Rock Band supports Rock Band instruments, as well as other music game controllers.

“LEGO Rock Band combines two compelling properties and creates an experience that family members of all ages will enjoy playing together as a group,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “Harmonix and MTV Games are the world experts in music gameplay, and we’re genuinely thrilled to bring the unique and humor-filled LEGO experience to their Rock Band universe.”

“We’re thrilled to offer another LEGO branded gaming experience that will deliver humorous and social play for families and friends,” said Henrik Taudorf Lorensen, Vice President, the LEGO Group. “LEGO Rock Band is built around the same values of imagination and family-friendly creative role play that is present in other LEGO videogames. It will deliver innovative new elements of game play that complement the fun of the Rock Band experience.”

“Rock Band is a social game experience that crosses every generation and every genre of rock,” said Bob Picunko, Senior Vice President of Electronic Games for MTV Games. “Harmonix and MTV Games are big fans of the LEGO game franchise and excited to work with TT Games to develop a new take on Rock Band that focuses on great music and LEGO humor that’s fun for the whole family.”

That can be anything from 30 minutes to two hours, in 30 minute increments.  There’s also a proximity sensor that flashes a red light should your face get too close to the DS; you can set that to “short”, “medium” or “long” distance, depending on how long your neck and arms are.

Frankly this could be the most frustrating peripheral ever, if you’re in the midst of a mammoth online gaming session when it decides your delicate peepers have had enough.  That’s enough reason for me to like it, anyway.  On sale now for 3,990 yen ($40); there’s a video of it delighting a lady here.

[via DVICE]

Video showdown after the cut

The test pits the Opera-designed web browser for the original DS Lite, that comes on a separate cartridge, against the new Opera Web Channel which is available as a free download for DSi owners.  Unlike the cart solution, once you’ve downloaded the Web Channel to the DSi it becomes a permanent menu feature, and so you don’t have to carry anything extra around.

As the video demonstrates, the DSi gets to a readable version of the webpage – in this case the NY Times – before the DS Lite does, and the whole thing finishes loading well in advance of its older sibling.  The Nintendo DSi is set to launch in the US on April 5th.

[via Digg]

The original maker, dark sponge, claims to have never needed the PSU since fitting the panels.  Obviously your mileage will depend on how much you use your DS versus how long you leave it soaking up the sun, but it’s such a cheap hack that even the heaviest of gamers would save at least a few dollars over the year.

The solar-panels themselves cost around $3.75 each, making this one of the most impressive, eco- and wallet-friendly DS mods we’ve see to date.  If I had a DS, and didn’t live in London where the sun seems to have been permanently banned, this is one hack I’d actually attempt myself

[via technabob]

“DS Lite Onyx hardware systems have been discontinued and stores will no longer be replenished on this product. Once your store sells through its current stock of this item, please remove any empty DS Onyx display boxes (onyx color only) from the sales floor and discard. Please continue to display the other colors of the DS Lite system display boxes on the sales floor (eye level and above perimeter of DS software section, above the DS accessory section, etc)” GameStop daily newsletter

The Nintendo DS Lite Onyx was initially launched in August 2006.  If this talk of its demise is true, then it will leave only the silver, red and blue versions of the handheld on sale in the US.

Of course, waiting around the corner is the Nintendo DSi, currently only available in Japan but tipped to hit Europe and the US in Spring or Summer 2009.  It’s entirely possible that Nintendo are ramping up to replace the DS Lite Onyx with the black DSi handheld.

According to independent sales data released yesterday by the NPD Group, the Wii had a total sales number of 10.17 million units for 2008 with the Nintendo DS coming in as close second with just 9.95 million. In the last generation of gaming devices, Nintendo fell short against Sony and Microsoft with its GameCube, but this generation Nintendo has redeemed themselves with amazing sales.

“Our type of entertainment has now moved to the point where there is no longer a question that if you offer consumers an expanded definition of what a video game can be, and deliver that idea with quality and affordability in mind, millions of new people will start playing video games,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing.

The previous record was set in 2007 by the Nintendo DS with sales of 8.52 million or 72 percent of the total handheld gaming market.  The DS held that 72 percent of the market in 2008 wile the Wii takes up 55 percent in home console sales. Nintendo also has the industries top 4 selling games of 20008 with Wii Play at number 1, Mario Kart Wii at number 2, Wii Fit at number 3, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl coming in at number 4.  2008 has been an amazing year for Nintendo.

The second trademark, however, is less obvious in its meaning.  Nintendo have applied for the phrase “Wii Golden Handle”, but with no further detail than the title it’s tricky to say what exactly it could be. 

At the same time as the two new hardware trademarks, the company also pushed through a number of new Pokémon games each with color titles.  Twelve new titles were named; it’s uncertain whether Nintendo intends to actually develop those games, or is merely securing them against third-party use.

Dssidia also beat out one of the other Final Fantasy spinoffs, Crisis Core by about 3,000 units. PSP units also sold 145,957 units this week, which is not to bad at all. However we all know the DS came out on top by selling 204,144 units last week. See below for a list of the top 10 Japanese games of the week.

Hardware and software sales for the week of December 15th – December 21st:

1. Dissidia Final Fantasy (PSP) — 489,126
2. Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 (PS3) 176,448
3. Kirby Super Star (DS) — 149,643
4. Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii) — 144,530
5. Tales of Hearts (DS) — 123,622
6. Wagamama Fashion Girls Mode (DS) — 99,887
7. Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 (PS2) — 99,696
8. Pokemon Platinum (DS) — 85,849
9. Fate/Unlimited Codes (PS2) — 82,873
10. Momotarou Dentetsu: 20-Shuunen (DS) — 79,717

* DSi — 204,144
* PSP — 145,957
* Wii — 131,054
* DS Lite — 50,308
* PS3 — 39,136
* Xbox 360 — 12,914
* PS2 — 8,662

Nintendo UK has just released a list of the upcoming DS and Wii titles for the first quarter of 2009. This list has plenty of interesting games on the way, including a game designed to help keep players fit called “Walk with me! Do you know your walking routine?” just in time for our quilt filled new years resolution to get healthy. Walk with me! Even brings the competitive nature of video games to keep players motivated to stay healthy.

Nintendo also has really been pushing the get healthy campaign after Wii Fit took center stage being such a huge hit. What would a stay fit game be without innovative ad-on accessories? With the DS software you will also get two Activity Meters, which monitor your daily steps minute-by-minute. These Activity Monitors are small enough to keep in your pocket all day as they measure your steps.

You can even take on the family dog by transferring data for up to four different users.  There will also be a world ranking system to see just who walks the most. Also included will be a number of mini-games including a game called Space Journey. “The distance between planets has been calculated in steps and you will see graphically how you and other world users are doing on your journey through space.” Walk with me! Do you know your walking routine? launches in Europe on February 20th.

Nintendo Wii Software 2009:

Chrysler Classic Racing (ZOO) 9 Jan 2009

Jeep Thrills (formerly Let’s Off Road) (ZOO) 9 Jan 2009

Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune (ZOO) 16 Jan 2009

Skate City Heroes (ZOO) 16 Jan 2009

Story Hour Adventures (ZOO) 16 Jan 2009

Story Hour Fairy Tales (ZOO) 16 Jan 2009

NeoPets Puzzle Adventure (Capcom) 23 Jan 2009

Twin Strike: Operation Thunder (ZOO) Jan 2009

Riding Stables (dtp young entertainment) Jan 2009

Music Party (dtp young entertainment) Jan 2009

Ultimate Band (Capcom) 5 Feb 2009

NEW PLAY CONTROL! Pikmin (Nintendo) 6 Feb 2009

Hotel For Dogs (505 Games) 6 Feb 2009

NARUTO Clash of Ninja Revolution 2 European Version (TOMY / Nintendo) 13 Feb 2009

Deadly Creatures (THQ) 13 Feb 2009

CM 2 – World Kitchen (505 Games) 20 Feb 2009

The Destiny of Zorro (505 Games) 27 Feb 2009

House of the Dead: Overkill (SEGA) Feb 2009

Ben 10: Alien Force (D3Publisher) Feb 2009

Onechanbra-Bikini Zombi Slayers (D3Publisher) Feb 2009

Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars (SouthPeak Games) Feb 2009

Pirates versus Ninja (SouthPeak Games) Feb 2009

CID The Dummy (Oxygen Games) Feb 2009

Tenchu Shadow Assassins (Ubisoft) 5 Mar 2009

Yamaha Supercross (ZOO) 6 Mar 2009

Big Foot Collision Course (ZOO) 6 Mar 2009

Diva Girls: Princess on Ice (505 Games) 6 Mar 2009

Smiley World Island Challenge (ZOO) 13 Mar 2009

Jelly Belly Ballistic Beans (ZOO) 13 Mar 2009

Sim Animals (EA) 23 Mar 2009

Little King´s Story (Rising Star Games) 28 Mar 2009

NEW PLAY CONTROL! Mario Power Tennis (Nintendo) Mar 2009

Sonic and the Black Knight (SEGA) Mar 2009

MADWORLD (SEGA) Mar 2009

Diabolik: The Original Sin (Black Bean /Lago Srl) Mar 2009

Bob the Builder: Festival of Fun (Mastertronic) Mar 2009

AMF Bowling World Lanes (Bethsoft europe) Q1 2009

Runaway The Dream of the Turtle (Focus Home Interactive) Q1 2009

Job Island (Hudson Soft) Q1 2009

Kororinpa 2 (working title) (Hudson Soft) Q1 2009

King of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Saga (Ignition) Q1 2009

Samurai Shodown Anthology (Ignition) Q1 2009

Jillian Michaels´ Fitness Ultimatum 2009 (Koch Media / Deep Silver) Q1 2009

Castlevania Judgment (Konami) Q1 2009

PES 2009 (Konami) Q1 2009

Cake Mania – In the Mix! (Majesco/Codemasters) Q1 2009

Escape The Museum (Majesco/Codemasters) Q1 2009

Rock Revolution (Konami) Q1 2009

Hysteria Hospital: Emergeny Ward (Oxygen Games) Q1 2009

Roogoo (SouthPeak Games) Q1 2009

Brave: A Warrior’s Tale (SouthPeak Games) Q1 2009

Line Rider 2: Unbound (InXile) Q1 2009

PurrPals II (InXile) Q1 2009

Nintendo DS Software 2009:

Chrysler Classic Racing (ZOO) 9 Jan 2009

My Chinese Coach (Ubisoft) 15 Jan 2009

Petz My Monkey Family (Ubisoft) 15 Jan 2009

Petz My Kitten Family (Ubisoft) 15 Jan 2009

Lord of the Rings:Conquest (EA) 16 Jan 2009

Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune (ZOO) 16 Jan 2009

Tecktonic (Koch Media / Deep Silver) 16 Jan 2009

Sim Animals (EA) 23 Jan 2009

NeoPets Puzzle Adventure (Capcom) 23 Jan 2009

Word Master (ZOO) 30 Jan 2009

The Woodleys – Sports (dtp young entertainment) Jan 2009

Best Friend – My Horse (dtp young entertainment) Jan 2009

Ultimate Band (Disney Interactive Studios) 4 Feb 2009

Scrabble 2009 (Ubisoft) 5 Feb 2009

Imagine: Ballet Dancer (Ubisoft) 5 Feb 2009

Johnny Bravo (Mastertronic) 6 Feb 2009

Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir (Nintendo) 6 Feb 2009

Harvest Fishing (Rising Star) 6 Feb 2009

XG Blast! (Rising Star) 6 Feb 2009

Hotel for Dogs (505 Games) 6 Feb 2009

Imagine: Movie Star (Ubisoft) 12 Feb 2009

My Pet Zoo Vet (505 Games) 13 Feb 2009

Buffy (505 Games) 13 Feb 2009

Rune Factory (Rising Star) 13 Feb 2009

Walk with me! Do you know your walking routine? bundled with two Activity Meters (Nintendo) 20 Feb 2009

Lux Pain (Rising Star) 20 Feb 2009

Pop Town (505 Games) 27 Feb 2009

Mahjong Quest (Astragon) 27 Feb 2009

The Chase: Felix meets Felicity (Atari) Feb 2009

Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell (Disney Interactive Studios) Feb 2009

Mushroom Men: Rise of The Fungi (SouthPeak Games) Feb 2009

Insecticide (SouthPeak Games) Feb 2009

Ben 10: Alien Force (D3Publisher) Feb 2009

Crazy Machines (dtp young entertainment) Feb 2009

My pet beauty salon (dtp young entertainment) Feb 2009

The Chase: Felix meets Felicity (Atari) Feb 2009

Diva Girls: Diva Dancers (505 Games) 6 Mar 2009

Yamaha Supercross (ZOO) 6 Mar 2009

Big Foot Collision Course (ZOO) 6 Mar 2009

Club Penguin (Disney Interactive Studios) 13 Mar 2009

Populous (Rising Star) 13 Mar 2009

Smile World Island Challenge (ZOO) 13 Mar 2009

Jelly Belly Ballistic Beans (ZOO) 13 Mar 2009

Emergency Room (505 Games) 27 Mar 2009

My Beauty Salon (505 Games) 27 Mar 2009

NARUTO NINJA DESTINY 2 European Versión (TOMY / Nintendo) Mar 2009

Bleach: Dark Souls (SEGA) Mar 2009

History™ Great Empires: Rome (Black Bean / Lago Srl) Mar 2009

Diabolik: The Original Sin (Black Bean / Lago Srl) Mar 2009

Puzzle Quest Galactrix (D3Publisher) Mar 2009

Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles (Oxygen Games) Mar 2009

Challenge Me: Maths Workout (Oxygen Games) Mar 2009

Ducati Moto (Bethsoft europe) Q1 2009

AMF Bowling Pinbusters! (Bethsoft europe) Q1 2009

Dungeon Raiders (Focus Home Entertainment) Q1 2009

Sherlock Holmes “Le mystere de la momie” (Focus Home Entertainment) Q1 2009

Blood Bowl (Focus Home Entertainment) Q1 2009

Let’s Play: Firemen (Koch/Deep Silver) Q1 2009

Bomberman 2 (working title) (Hudson Soft) Q1 2009

Enchanted Folk and the School of Wizardry (Konami) Q1 2009

Rock Revolution (Konami) Q1 2009

Cake Mania 2 (Majesco/Codemasters) Q1 2009

Maths Blaster (Majesco) Q1 2009

Powerbike (Majesco) Q1 2009

Left Brain Right Brain 2 (Majesco) Q1 2009

Wonderworld Amusement Park (Majesco) Q1 2009

Babysitting Mania (Majesco/Codemasters) Q1 2009

Our House (Majesco) Q1 2009

Big Bang Mini (SouthPeak Games) Q1 2009

Brave: Shaman’s Challenge (SouthPeak Games) Q1 2009

Roogoo (SouthPeak Games) Q1 2009

De Blob (THQ) Q1 2009

Gauntlet (Eidos) Spring 2009

Winx Club Secret Diary 2009 (Konami) early 2009

The game incorporates a completely rebuilt Liberty City for the handheld, with an isometric viewpoint and a new targeting method that introduces an auto-aiming system controlled by the back right-hand button.  There’s also weather affects and minigames.

Previously the Rockstar developers have claimed that the game runs on the DS with no lag or slow-down, a feat requiring rewriting of just about all the code.  Check out the screenshots for GTA: Chinatown Wars on the DS here.

Press Release:

Rockstar Games Announces Release Date for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS™

Critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto franchise makes its DS debut this March

New York, NY – December 15, 2008 – Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce the release date for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the latest entry into the genre-defining Grand Theft Auto series. Developed by Rockstar Leeds, in conjunction with series creators Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will be available for the Nintendo DS™ on March 17 and 20, 2009 in North America and Europe, respectively.

“Rockstar Leeds have once again created a game that far exceeds our standard for deep and innovative entertainment,” said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. “We are incredibly excited to share this enormous and uncompromising Grand Theft Auto experience with DS fans.”

Edge Magazine commented, “How does Rockstar follow Grand Theft Auto IV? By rebuilding Liberty City from the ground up on DS – and not compromising its vision one iota.”

Nintendo Power added, “…it’s undeniable that Chinatown Wars is doing something no other DS game has come close to: creating that living, breathing world the Grand Theft Auto games are known for.”

For more information about Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, please visit: www.rockstargames.com/chinatownwars.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Xbox 360® and Xbox® video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, Wii™, Nintendo GameCube™, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance. The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games, 2K Games, 2K Sports and 2K Play; and distributes software, hardware and accessories in North America through its Jack of All Games subsidiary. Take-Two’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Japanese video game company Nintendo, has announced a deal with publisher HarperCollins to make classic books available to read on the Nintendo DS. This 100 Classic Book Collection initially will only be available in Britain for £20. Turning pages is made easy as brushing your finger across the screen.

Depending on the success of this service, Nintendo will expand upon the available choices for readers. This service will enter competition with reader devices such as the Sony Reader released in September, which holds about 160 book titles. If this service expands to other countries, it is going to be hard to compete with Amazon’s Kindle, which even offers subscriptions to newspapers.

There are already 2 million DS devices already sold in the Britain region making it easier to distribute the product. “We hope to encourage people to try books that they wouldn’t go out and purchase themselves,” said Nintendo executive, James Honeywell. The 100 Classic Book Collection is being released in an effort to broaden the audience for Nintendo’s products. This service is set to be released on December 26th.

The game is called Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and will be available for the Nintendo DS. In this new game, you will be able to portray the role of Roxas, a member of Organization XIII. Sure, this sounds completely unrelated to Mickey Mouse, but it does have a tie in.

According to the press release, Roxas as the “other” hero from Kingdom Hearts II and this new game focuses on what happened while Sora was asleep. Roxas travels across the Disney Worlds and you will then uncover the ties between him, Sora and the 14th member and why he left the organization. Sounds interesting. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days will also have a multiplayer mode.

Once you get inside, things are as you’d likely expect them to be.  The same old Nintendo DS with a new paint-job and a big “M” slapped on it.  Aside from the game and the color, there’s nothing different from standard DS handhelds.

Still, if there’s $150 burning a hole in your pocket, you can’t wait for the Nintendo DSi and you’re desperate for a new Mario game, this is a straightforward way to get it.  According to Nintendo the bundle is a limited edition, but there’s no telling exactly how many they’ve produced.

Sales of the DS have remained strong in the US (and Europe), despite falling numbers in the company’s home territory.  As a result, Nintendo are continuing to sell the DS in those markets, while the new DSi has already gone on sale in Japan.

Both bundles will be available on from Friday November 28th, each priced at $149.99.  While Nintendo have described the pair as “limited edition” there’s no word on exactly how many sets are available.

Press Release:

NEW NINTENDO DS BUNDLES PUT A COLORFUL SPIN ON ‘BLACK FRIDAY’

Limited-Edition Hardware Comes with Top-Selling Games

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 25 – The day after Thanksgiving might be known to holiday shoppers as “Black Friday,” but this year Nintendo is rewarding eager consumers with two brilliant splashes of color. On Nov. 28, Nintendo will release a duo of limited-edition Nintendo DS™ bundles, each pairing a Nintendo DS game title with a hand-held system in a bold new color. The Mario™ Red Nintendo DS bundle includes a red system emblazoned with a familiar M for Mario, and a copy of New Super Mario Bros.™ The Ice Blue Nintendo DS comes with a custom carrying case and the popular Brain Age™: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day. Each bundle sells at an MSRP of $149.99.

Expected to rank high on holiday wish lists among first-time gamers and veteran players alike, the Mario Red and Ice Blue systems are the latest additions to Nintendo’s rich palette of distinctive Nintendo DS colors. As people across the nation make their way to malls and retailers for pre-holiday sales and events, shoppers are encouraged to act fast if they want to get their hands on these limited-edition bundles.

“Nintendo DS is both the most affordable and the most popular video game system in this generation,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “These limited-edition bundles make great gifts for first-time Nintendo DS players and collectors alike.”

The Mario Red and Ice Blue DS bundles won’t be the only stocking stuffers this season. Nintendo also aims to brighten the season for core and new gamers with its growing selection of Nintendo DS games. Pokémon™ Ranger: Shadows of Almia and Kirby Super Star™ Ultra are already in demand among casual gamers and younger players. The new Personal Trainer™: Cooking helps people become masterful chefs. And Mystery Case Files™: MillionHeir™ keeps friends and families enthralled with a series of unique seek-and-solve puzzles.

For more information about Nintendo DS, visit www.NintendoDS.com.

The game lets you perform all sorts of skateboard moves just by flicking around the Wii Remote or by using the stylus on the DS. One particularly cool thing about the Wii version, however, is that you can use the Wii Balance Board to control the skateboard within the game. That definitely brings an element of realism to it.

The object of the game is to become Thrasher Magazine’s Skater of the Year. Sounds funny, but might also actually be kind of fun. At the very least, this skate-focused game further brings in a sporty feel to Nintendo consoles.

Contrasting sales performance is the reason Nintendo have given for the difference in release schedules.  In Japan, sales of the existing DS handheld have dropped 64-percent in the period between April and September 2008.  Meanwhile worldwide DS sales climbed 3-percent, suggesting the world outside of Japan still has a healthy appetite for the console.

Nintendo have prepared for the Japanese launch by shipping 200,000 of the DSi to retailers.  A further 100,000 will ship in the week beginning November 4th.  Despite the economic slowdown, Iwata remains confident about the demand for Nintendo products:

“With the business environment having changed this much, we of course need to stay alert. But so far I haven’t seen even the slightest sign that overseas DS and Wii demand is being affected by the economy” Satoru Iwata, president, Nintendo